This invention relates to bicycle handlebar arm rests and more particularly to handlebar arm rests adapted for the rider to lean on comfortably and so support his upper body while gripping the handlebars to control the bicycle while riding it.
Heretofore, conventional bicycles used for competitive riding have had handlebar assemblies including a central stem that slides more or less vertically into the bicycle front wheel fork tube so that the stem extends adjustably upward from the fork tube and is then secured at a desired height. At the top of the stem is a clamp for the handlebar cross piece, which is usually a unitary piece that extends laterally (left and right), evenly on both sides of the bicycle and is equipped at its left and right ends with grips of some sort for the rider to hold with his left and right hands, respectively. Most often, on bicycles used for competitive riding, the left and right laterally extending parts of the unitary cross piece each turns foreward, then downward and then returns back toward the rider and ends. These bends define sections of the total cross piece that are referred to herein as "forward", "downward" and "return" left or right sections of the unitary cross piece. The rider usually grips the left and right return sections with his left and right hands when riding strenuously (sprinting), and so his hands are then below the clamp at the top of the stem and below the cross piece. To do this the rider must bend at the waist, bringing his shoulders and arm down and foreward. In this position the rider is more streamlined (less wind resistance) and some contend that the rider can deliver more power to the pedals. However, in this position, the rider also becomes fatigued more quickly.
Heretofore, considerable effort has been made to provide similar handlebars on bicycles used for competitive riding, particularly for long distance riding, adapted with padding on the handlebar cross piece, on which the rider can rest by supporting himself at his forearms while still gripping the handles. Handlebars of this sort are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,754, entitled Bicycle And Handlebar System, which issued June 14, 1988. Several structures are described in that patent having a conventional stem with a stem clamp at the top and a unitary crosspiece attached by the clamp. For all of these handlebar structures padding is provided on the cross piece immediately adjacent the clamp. Also on all of them, the left and right ends of the unitary cross piece first bend foreward, then inward and then upward to an end, and hand grips are provided on the upward section up to the ends. Thus, in operation, as compared with the conventional handlebars described above, the rider leans more foreward, but with his shoulders and arms higher and his hands much closer together and elbows well inside of the first (foreward) bend of the unitary cross piece.
Using the handlebar structures described in said U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,754, the rider, from time to time, can support his upper body with his forearms on the padding, even while gripping the handles and pedaling vigorously. In doing this, he is supporting his upper body on the handlebar cross piece and without the padding on the cross piece, this action would be very hard on his forearms. In time, this position becomes uncomfortable even with the padding, because the area of contact of his forearm with the cross piece is only a little greater with the padding and he is essentially resting his forearm on a transverse bar (the cross piece).
Handlebars similar to those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,754 have been provided with improved arm rests in the form of contoured pads that provide greater area of contact with the rider's forearm. These include separable pads that attach to the cross piece, each having a cushioned portion that may be contoured to about the shape of a substantial length of the forearm, so that a substantial part of the rider's forearm contacts the cushion. A clamp is provided on the bottom of the pad for attaching the pad assembly to the cross piece at a lateral position along the cross piece that the rider desires. Thus, such pads are adjustable in one translational direction (laterally along the cross piece) and one rotational direction (around the cross piece). Some riders find this provision for adjustment insufficient.
It is an object of the present invention to provide adjustable bicycle handlebar support pads wherein some or all of the above limitations of prior handlebar arm support pads such as described in the above patent and some of the improvements thereto are avoided.
It is another object of the present invention to provide adjustable bicycle handlebar support pads having additional translational and/or rotational adjustments that are readily manipulated for the comfort of the rider.